Chapter 7: The Letters Hidden Away
I wanted to be angry.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to tell my mother that she had no right to walk back into my life after twelve years and destroy the one thing I had believed.
My father was my protector.
My father was the person who stayed.
But standing there beneath the old oak tree, looking into my mother's tear-filled eyes, I realized something terrifying.
I didn't know who had been telling me the truth.
"You're lying," I whispered.
My mother flinched.
The pain on her face looked real.
"I knew you would say that.""
"Because everyone says something different.""
My voice shook.
"Nicole said you were unstable. Dad said he was scared. You say he stole my childhood.""
I stepped closer.
"Who am I supposed to believe?""
My mother looked down.
"Nobody.""
That answer surprised me.
She wiped her cheek.
"Believe the evidence.""
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small envelope.
The paper was old.
Yellowed around the edges.
She handed it to me.
"What is this?""
"Something I should have given you years ago.""
I opened it carefully.
Inside were letters.
Dozens of them.
All addressed to me.
My name was written in my mother's handwriting.
My hands started shaking.
"These...""
"I wrote them every month.""
I looked up.
"Then why didn't I get them?""
She swallowed.
"Because someone made sure you didn't.""
I looked at the letters again.
The dates.
The years.
My entire childhood was sitting in my hands.
"I don't understand.""
My mother looked toward the river.
"After I discovered Nicole was stealing money from the firm where we worked, I reported it.""
"And then?""
"Nicole lost everything.""
I listened silently.
"She blamed me. She told me she would ruin my life.""
"Did she?""
My mother gave a bitter smile.
"She almost did.""
A cold wind moved through the trees.
"Your father knew about the investigation.""
I looked up.
"Why?""
"Because Nicole went to him first.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did she tell him?""
"That I was trying to destroy her. That I was dangerous. That I would take you away.""
I remembered my father's words.
I was scared.
The same excuse.
The same fear.
"Did he believe her?""
My mother looked at me.
"He wanted to.""
That hurt.
Because it sounded exactly like my father.
Not innocent.
Not evil.
Just someone who chose the easier lie.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Lily.
*Emma, Dad is looking for you. Nicole left the house. Something happened.*
I showed my mother.
Her expression changed.
"What?""
"What is it?""
She hesitated.
Then she looked at the letters in my hand.
"Nicole wouldn't leave.""
"Why?""
"Because she knows something is about to come out.""
"What?""
My mother took a deep breath.
"The real reason she destroyed your family.""
I waited.
But she didn't answer.
Instead, she looked behind me.
Her face suddenly became serious.
"Emma.""
"What?""
"Did you come here alone?""
I frowned.
"Yes.""
Her eyes moved toward the parking lot.
A black car was parked near the entrance.
The engine was running.
"Someone followed you.""
My heart started pounding.
"Who?""
Before she could answer, the car door opened.
A man stepped out.
Older.
Wearing a dark coat.
My mother went completely still.
I had never seen fear like that on her face.
"That's Daniel.""
"The lawyer?""
She nodded.
But her voice was barely a whisper.
"He isn't here to help us.""
Daniel walked closer.
"Emma.""
My mother grabbed my arm.
"Don't give him anything.""
Daniel stopped several feet away.
"Your mother always did know how to make people suspicious.""
My mother's expression hardened.
"You destroyed enough lives, Daniel.""
He smiled.
A calm, confident smile.
The kind of smile people wear when they believe they have already won.
"I didn't destroy anything.""
He looked at me.
"I only protected the truth.""
I held the envelope tighter.
"What truth?""
Daniel's eyes dropped to the letters.
Then he smiled.
"The truth that your mother never told you.""
The wind suddenly felt colder.
"What are you talking about?""
Daniel took one more step forward.
"Ask her why she left you.""
My mother's face changed.
May you like
And for the first time...
She looked afraid of the question.
